HEADLINES
Dundukov — appeal to Yeltsin
Freestyle offered
Eastern funding
Foreign funding might save the Yakovlev Yak-141
Freestyle advanced short take-
off-vertical landing (ASTOVL)
fighter. Alexander Dondukov,
Yakovlev's general designer,
says the company has had pro
posals "from several eastern
countries" to supply funding to
continue research and develop
ment of the next-generation
naval fighter.
Dundukov says: "We are
holding negotiations with for
eign investors, and 1 have
asked President Yeltsin for per
mission to continue the devel
opment of this aircraft [using
foreign funds]. 1 think it is the
solution for this problem; I
believe this aircraft is not lost
for Russia and its navy."
Dundukov has also revealed
that Yakovlev is working on
design-concept studies for a
third-generation ASTOVL
fighter, which might appear
after 2005.
The Yak-141 programme
stumbled after one of the two
prototypes crashed on 5 Octo
ber, 1991, while attempting a
vertical landing on the carrier
Admiral Gorshkov, but Dun
dukov says that most testing
had been completed by then.
"We accomplished 85-90% of
the flight-test programme.
Unfortunately an accident hap
pened and a prototype fell
onto the deck from a height of
13m," explains Dundukov, who
says the cause of the crash was
"certain design shortcomings".
The crashed aircraft will
continue to be used for tests
after refurbishment. D
Fokker and DASA closing
on regional-jet alliance
BY JULIAN MOXON
IN BRUSSELS
Fokker and Deutsche Aero space (DASA) have begun
exploratory talks on a "more
intensified relationship" over the
development of an 80 to 130-
seat regional jet. The discussions
may lead to a strategic alliance
between the two companies.
DASA denies, however, that it
is moving away from its existing
deal with Aerospatiale and
Alenia to develop the DAA92/
122 series of regional airliners
under the Regioliner manage
ment company. "Co-operation
with the partners in the DAA
consortium continues to be a
priority," says DASA regional-
airliner chief Jurgen Thomas.
The talks with Fokker, he says,
had "the objective of reinforcing
the European regional aircraft
industry", and would be com
plete in about three months.
British Aerospace, Europe's
other major regional-jet builder,
says that it is also talking to
"Fokker and DASA and the
other major players". The com
pany adds: "There has to be
rationalisation — we are seeking
a partner — those two things are
complementary."
DASA, through its subsidiary
MBB, already builds major fuse
lage sections of the Fokker 100.
Fokker chairman Erik Jan Ned-
erkoorn insists, however, that
this relationship, and its exten-
Talhs cast shadow over Regioliner
sion to cover the Fokker 70,
cannot continue if DASA goes
ahead with the Regioliner.
"Quite frankly, it is time they
made their minds up," he said.
"You can't make love and fight
at the same time."
Fokker will hold a DF1150
million (£156 million) rights
issue in April, which may be
taken up partly or wholly by
DASA, giving it a possible 38%
stake in the Dutch manufac
turer. The Dutch Government is
unlikely, however, to give DASA
a controlling share in Fokker by
releasing its own 32% holding.
Both companies say that they
want to "rationalise the Euro
pean regional aircraft industry to
ensure profitability and competi
tiveness". It is generally accepted
that there is an insufficient mar
ket to support two separate 80
to 130-seat regional-jet program
mes in Europe. Fokker claims
there is a market for at least 700
aircraft in the category. A recent
Boeing study disputes this, how
ever, forecasting that only half
Delta cuts but buys A310s
Delta Air Lines is moving to cut costs and may delay
delivery of some new aircraft,
following the example set by
American and United Airlines.
The Atlanta-based operator lost
a record $240 million in 1991.
At the same time, the carrier
has ordered nine Pratt & Whit
ney PW4152-powered Airbus
A310-300s for delivery from
early 1993. It has no more fleet
purchase decisions planned for
this year. The company is al
ready the world's biggest A310
operator, with a fleet of 21
ex-Pan American aircraft. The
new aircraft will be used princi
pally on transatlantic routes.
In an interview with Associ
ated Press, Delta chairman
Ronald Allen says the airline will
begin cutting costs by delaying
plans for a Taiwanese hub in
Taipei from 1992 to 1993 and
retiring its DC-9s by the end of
1992, a year earlier than
planned. Delta's DC-9s are being
replaced by McDonnell Douglas
MD-80s, and eventually MD-90s.
Allen's comments suggest that
Delta will consider deferring de
liveries of aircraft held on option
if further cost-cutting is re
quired. He does not rule out
adjusting firm orders, but em
phasises that Delta has made no
decisions yet.
The airline has 178 aircraft on
order and holds options on a
further 276. There is no change
yet to 1992 deliveries; Delta
expects to receive 32 757s, 767s,
MD-80s and MD-lls this year. •
Airline violence
Hostile or "untoward" events against civil avia
tion rose to 146 in 1991, more
than doubling the annual av
erage of 69 for the previous
decade. The resulting fatalities
were lower at 142 than the
figures for all but three years in
the 1980s, according to Air
Incident Research.
Events included 36 violent or
disruptive acts at airports; 17
hijacking or commandeering
incidents; 16 attacks against
airline or air courier offices; 11
surface-to-air attacks (missiles
or gunfire); seven attacks
against aircraft on the ground,
with serious damage to 25 air
craft; four stowaway incidents
and three events where ex
plosives were found on aircraft
or in luggage. •
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 11 - 17 March, 1992